2 Peter 1:5
Ladder of Success #1
3 His divine power has granted to us all
things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who
called us to[c] his own glory and excellence,[d] 4 by which he has granted
to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become
partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in
the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason,
make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,[e] and virtue with knowledge, 6 and
knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and
steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly
affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these
qualities[f] are yours and are increasing, they keep you
from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he
is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore,
brothers,[g] be all the more diligent to confirm your
calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For
in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal
kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. [ESV from www.biblegateway.com]
Background:
1. Meet Peter, “the mess-up.”
2. Matured, learned a few things.
3. “Make every effort.”
4. REASONS:
a. [v 8] “keep you from being ineffective or
unfruitful.”
b. [v 10] “if you practice these qualities you will
never fall.”
I. The
Stalled-life is an impaired life.
A. Christian life:
1. Start well
2. Lose momentum
3. Perpetual inertia
B. Result:
1. [v 8] Ineffective (lit. inactive,
lazy, useless) [Wesley “slothful”]
2. [v 8] Unfruitful (Jesus said these
would be cut and thrown into the fire)
3. [v 10] Fall (lit. trip…. “fall,
offend, stumble)
II. The
Stalled-life is an inferior life.
A. Christianity vs the world
1. Stoics had what they called “prokope”
(moral progress)
2. Peter uses that wisdom and starts
with “virtue” and progresses to “love.”
B. “Virtue” defined:
1. It is an ideal…
2. Excellence infused with energy.
3. It is “operative and effective
excellence.” (Barclay)
Moffatt – “The Christian life must not be an initial spasm
followed by chronic inertia.”
4. It is evidence by service to God and
people.
“Good better best, never let it rest, until your good is
better, and your better is best.”
III. The Growing-life
is a Christ like life.
A. It comes through responding to God’s
initiative.
1. [v 3] “His divine power has granted
to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.”
2. [v
4] “by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises.”
3. [v 4]] “so that through them you may
become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped
from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”
B. The “trajectory of faith.” (my image)
1. Point “A” traveling toward point “B.”
a. Faith to submission…
b. Submission to rule of the Holy
Spirit…
c. Rule of the Holy Spirit to
effective, fruitful, and victorious life.
2. What it takes:
a. Being intentional.
b. Planning and making measurable
progress.
c. Not resting until it is “excellent.”
IV. The
Growing-life is a calibrated life.
A. Calibrated?
1. Planned. (What are your spiritual goals?)
2. Determined (What energy are you
putting into those goals?)
3. Measured (How will you know when you
have reached a goal?)
4. Modeled (What do you need to do/not
do to become more like Jesus?)
B. What will this look like?
1. Love and knowledge of God will
increase.
2. Intentional life of service will
increase.
3. Forward! (Not having to repeat past
mistakes or lessons)
To Do:
1. Ask the Holy Spirit what ONE thing
you will move forward on.
2. Define what that is going to look
like.
3. Set a time to achieve it by.
4. Measure it: is it good, better, or
best?